Huawei refused to build Google's Pixel phones, sacked US Honour team: Report

We are a few hours away from Google launching its new Pixel phones, and apart from the usual leaks and rumours, there is fresh fodder for the gossip mills. The drama unfolds just before the device launch on how Huawei was earlier asked to build Pixel phones, but refused to do so, as the devices would go without its branding, according to a report by AndroidPolice. But there’s more to it. Huawei that is largely a popular brand in China and soe other regions hasn’t been able to break into the US market. And, this has got to do with some more drama that unfolded in 2015. So, Huawe teamedup with Google to build the Nexus 6P, and the partnership was suppose to be ‘far more ambitious’ than it looked. Google reportedly attracted Huawei with the idea that the Nexus 6P sold by all four major US carriers. A chance for Huawei to break into the US market. But, the talks with carriers didn’t materialise that this never happened. “Google and Huawei would also embark on a massive, multi-hundred-million dollar ad campaign for the Nexus 6P, with an agreement that each company would match the advertising dollars the other was willing to invest. But that never happened,” the report adds. Huawei walked out of Google’s Pixel plans, and its loss turned out to be HTC’s gian. Huawei’s phones haven’t been doing well particularly in the US. And after the Honor 8 launch, the company has reportedly sacked the entire Honor US team. “Only the budget brand, Honor, has seen appreciable sales, and those were described as just “OK” for the lackluster but inexpensive 5X, while the new Honor 8 apparently debuted in the US with momentum well below expectations. I say that because just a month after the Honor 8 launched, Huawei sacked essentially the entire Honor US team according to our source - an event that, as far as we know, has not been communicated publicly,” the report claims. It is now believed that the company has no concrete US plans. However, the report adds both companies still share an amicable relationship. In fact, Huawei is reportedly investing in ‘making its next-generation Kirin chipsets Daydream VR-friendly’, adds the report.